Xinjiang Clique
History of Xinjiang Xinjiang, China, also known as the “new frontier” is the largest province within China, while also being the least Chinese. Populated by the Uyghur people along with their rival Tungan population, the province is not a stranger to conflict in the slightest. Conquered during the Qing’s mid-18th-century expeditions, the province has become known for its less than friendly attitude towards Chinese rule, with numerous uprisings taking place. Despite being largely disconnected from the rest of China, with the only real road being the road through Kumul, the effects of the Xinhai Revolution rang loud and clear throughout the province, with the governor Yuan Du-Hua failing to contain the chaos of nationalism among the Uyghurs, and soon fleeing the province to save his own skin. As hope for containing the region was slowly being lost, one man came out on top, Yang Zengxin. A Yunnanese who served Yuan as his protege, his experience in keeping the Turkic people of Xinjiang suppressed was not lacking. Seizing the mantle of government himself, he calmed the main two opposition groups of the Ili and the Kai-Lao-Hui. Yang supported Yuan Shikai’s declaration of the Chinese Empire, one of the few to dare to do so. However, as he quickly saw Yuan fall as quickly as he rose, he redeclared loyalty to the republic fearing for his position. This led to his personal “Beijing Government” rule, declaring loyalty to whichever government manages to hold Beijing in the hopes of ever avoiding such a blunder again. The effects of this grand mistake happened to be deeper than they initially seemed. Yang had developed a bad case of paranoia, combined with his old age. Thinking even his closest officials were conspiring against him, cabinets were constantly switched as one minister after another was put to death for suspicion of treachery. One of these was the southern Xinjiang warlord appointed by Yang as Dao-Yin(The name for the administrators of cities within Xinjiang) of Hotan, Ma Fuxing. Fuxing was a brute often compared to the likes of Dong Zhuo, getting his army hooked on opium and other substances instead of actually arming them, being one of the worst abusers of human rights in Xinjiang even by Xinjiang administration standards. Unable to take his incompetence anymore, Yang sent Ma Shaowu, the current Dao-Yin to take care of the problem. With Ma Shaowu as Dao-Yin of Hotan, Yang’s clique of skilled individuals only continued to grow. Two of these being Fan Yaonan, a man educated in Japan and the new foreign minister along with the title of Dao-Yin of Aksu, Yang’s former position under Yuan Du-Hua. While he was initially considered for a higher up position in the capital Dihua, Yang’s paranoia did not want to ascend someone who he “distrusted on sight”. His skill is the only thing having prevented Yang from removing him as well. The other is Sheng Shicai who joined Xinjiang as the Chief of Staff after his failed participation in the northern expedition. One of the most skilled army leaders in Xinjiang, he has immense weight on his shoulders and is trusted by most despite his former position in the Kuomintang. Finally, Yang’s right-hand man, Jin Shuren shares many of his traits of generally being power hungry and untrusting of those who escape his very exclusive clique. With Yang only growing more reclused in his old age, many of the daily responsibilities of administration have been left up to Jin, for better or worse. Category:Countries Category:Asian countries Category:Chinese-related topics